, 1887-04-03

Helmut Karl Won Moltke, although serving
In the Danish army when but 81 years of age,
was not born in Denmark, but at Parchim,
in Mc%cklenburg, his father, Baron Won
Moltke, u retired Prussian officer, owning an
estate in that grand duchy. His mother
was only a burgher's daughter.
Won Moltko's father lost his wealth with
the fall of the fatherland and entered the
service Of Denmark, rising to be lieutenant
general. Helmut and his brother Fritz, were
sent to Partern Kinckbeer's academy, In
Hohenfelde and afterward to the military
academy at Copenhagen, where they were
very poor and where, as page, Helmut often
waited at table.
When absolved from his duties as page he
joined his regiment. Denmark, as Napoleon's
ally, had lost severely. 1t was compelled to
cede Norway to Sweden, and became bank
rupt. Many of the young officers surrendered
their commissions and took foreign service.
Among them was the present great strategist,
Won Moltke. His dismissal was granted with
Il sneer.
His advancement in the Prussian army was
slow. Not till he had served fourteen years
in ali under charge, and was past 80 years of
nee, did he become a first lieutenant. In
1885 he obtained leave of absence for a short
oriental tour, which was, by force of extraor-
binary circumstances extended to four years.
The Turkish sultan chose Won Moltke to
reorRanize his army, and for nearly five
years made him his chief adviser and coun-
selor.
When Won Moltlle returned to Prussia he
was decorated with the order of merit and
was accorded permission to wear a decoration
Given him by the sultan. He had written
some tales of the orient, and these falling into
the hands of Miss Mary Burt, an English
girl and s-tepdaughter OF his sister, inspired
in her n fervent admiration which ripened
into love upon acquaintance. They were
married inter he was promoted to the rank of
major, and lived together happily for a quar-
ter of n century but she died before her hus-
band became celebrated.
Prussia learned Won Moltke's value during
the seven days campaign in Austria, and he
won the Danish war also, though Prussia did
not realize it at the time. He planned the
French campaign. and when, on that famous
day In 1861, the emperor, with his victorious
soldiers, le-entered the Brandenburg gates at
Berlin with Bismark and Moltke at his side,
the monarch showed his appreciation of his
chief of staff. He created him count. With
the sum OF money he got as his share from
the war dobt paid by France, $500, 000, he
bought the estate of Kreisau.
Count Won Moltke looks like the photo
graphs and engravings of him. Like Lincoln,
the meanest wood cut intended for him re-
sembles him. His face is clear cut and clean
shaven. His lips are thin and decisive look
ing. his eyes are blue, his nose Roman, and
he wears u wig-a modest mixture of chest
nut and silver.
He has acquired fame in many ways. He
might be said almost to be a universal
genius, rare as the product is. AS strategist,
us author, painter, musician and linguist he
has won honors, He holds his own In eleven
tongues. But, with oil his gifts he cannot
talk. He is known at Berlin us 1.-THE Silent"
In the reichstag he gives Bismarck his vote,
but not his voice. Neither does he talk
privately with his colleagues.
1t has been asserted that the atmosphere,
physical INC mental, of the Prussian king
dom is conducive to longevity. The emperor's
physicians declare that, as he has no organic
disease, there is nothing to prevent him from
attaining 100.
1t seems that he bars out oil the predictions
made about his long life. One story says
that, at the time OF the Furstentag at Frank
fort, in 1868, King William, one day, walk
ing in the neighborhood of Baden-Baden, ac-
companied by Horr Won Bismarck and a